Nepal Fails to Escape EU Air Safety Blacklist, Pokhara Plane Crash Main Reason

Nepal has once again found itself unable to break free from the European Union’s Aviation Safety List, commonly known as the “Blacklist.” The Security Council meeting held in May by the European Union (EU) reaffirmed the inclusion of all airlines registered in Nepal, including the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, on this list.

The Security Council, which convenes twice a year in May and November, exclusively reviews this blacklist. Consequently, it has been decided that Nepal will remain on the list for a minimum of six months. On Wednesday, June 7, the EU updated and published the latest edition of this blacklist.

Jagannath Niraula, spokesperson for the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority, cited the recent plane crash of Yeti Airlines in Pokhara on January 15, 2023, as the primary reason for Nepal’s failure to be removed from the blacklist this time. “The EU had planned to conduct an on-site visit to Nepal in February,” he explained, “but after the Pokhara accident, the visit was canceled, leaving no opportunity for Nepal to escape the blacklist at this time.”

The tragic Pokhara accident claimed the lives of 72 people, marking it as the deadliest domestic flight accident in Nepal’s history. The incident dealt a severe blow to Nepal’s aviation safety reputation and further hampered its efforts to be removed from the EU’s blacklist.

In October 2022, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) dispatched a mission to Nepal to assess air safety conditions. However, subsequent missions were interrupted due to incomplete preparations, and the Pokhara accident further complicated matters.

Nepal has been on the EU’s aviation safety blacklist since 2013, indicating that the country’s aviation sector has consistently failed to meet the necessary safety standards set by the EU. As a consequence, airlines operating in Nepal, including the national flag bearer Nepal Airlines, have been unable to establish direct flights to Europe due to the restrictions imposed by the blacklist.

Pokhara International Airport, built by a Chinese company with a loan from a Chinese bank, was handed over without installing the main equipment .i.e., Instrument Landing System (ILS).

Yeti Airlines had an accident in Pokhara before the installation of ILS.